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It
was the latest major crackdown on Big Tech by Brussels, which
has led the world in reining in some of the world’s largest
companies from Silicon Valley to Beijing.
Google had recently lost its appeal of a $4.5 billion antitrust
fine imposed for throttling competition and reducing consumer
choice through the dominance of its mobile Android operating
system.
The European Commission, the bloc's executive branch, said it
was acting in the interest of consumers.
“The best products should succeed because they’re better, not
because they’re owned by the company running the search engine.
And European consumers have a right to be told by app developers
where to sign up to the best offers, even when the app store
owner does not get a cut,” said Teresa Ribera, the commission's
Executive Vice President for Clean, Just and Competitive
Transition.
Google’s President of Global Affairs Kent Walker blasted the
fine as “product degradation driven by a small group of
self-serving complainants” that will negatively impact European
businesses and consumers.
He said that the EU’s Digital Markets Act forces Google “to
strip away real-time search features Europeans love — like
instant pricing and direct availability for hotels, flights, and
restaurants — and dismantle safety protections on Google Play.”
“In the EU, businesses have the right to compete fairly.
Gatekeepers have the obligation to ensure a level playing field
and consumers the right to choose for cheaper alternative
offers," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said.
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